pilot2

Having dealt with this issue with other cars, the issue surfacing with the RX300 was no surprise. The issue is you have a wheel alignment, the shop says the alignment they just did is "within specs" and they may even give you a nice color printout to confirm this to you. But the car still pulls in one direction or the other.

Here is trivia that will help you resolve the issue with the alignment technician. The CAMBER is not adjustable in the stock configured Toyota or Lexus. The technician sometimes forgets to mention that they can install a factory camber adjustment bolt on either or both sides (about $50 per side at a non-dealer rate plus about $45 for the alignment. I only needed a bolt on one side to resolve the issue. The dealer quoted $330.00 ). Once installed, they can adjust the camber. For example, in my case, the "in spec" car was annoyingly pulling to the left on the freeway. With a camber bolt installed on the passenger side he increased the camber on the passenger side (he could also have installed a camber bolt on the drivers side and decreased drivers side camber if needed on that side). He kept the settings within the allowed specification adjustment range, and resolved the problem.

Look at the printout sheet they give you carefully, the printout will typically list in small print the allowable tolerance range for the various adjustments such as camber. So because they placed it within that permissible range does not mean that is the best settings for the drive-ability of YOUR car--they can readjust within the allowable specification range. It may take a couple of tweaks to get it correct and that is my theory why they sometimes neglect to mention the option to install camber adjustment bolts.

In my case, I ended-up with a left front camber (unadjusted) of -0.5 degrees and right front camber adjusted with the camber adjustment bolt installed to +0.4 degrees. All within specifications and the left pulling is gone. I had to go to three shops to find an alignment technician that didn't give me a dear-in-the-headlights look when these issues were raised; he also advised this would cause no additional tire wear.

Hopefully this will help someone "keep it on the straight and narrow."

salimshah

Was your RX involved in front end collision. Rolling out of the assembly line camber IS correct.

Salim

pilot2

No accidents. But a good pot-hole will set the stage.

salimshah

Rx suspension components are not very beefy. Hopefully no one thinks that RX is an off-road vehicle.

How are the Michigan roads? I have never driven there.

Salim

Bobster999

Camber is typically not a "pulling" problem, only a tire wear issue. Most pulling issues are resolved by adding positive "Caster" adjustment to the opposite side that the it pulls toward. Even more likely is the pull is caused by their tires or usually one tire up front. The radial belts have shifted inside of the tire causing the vehicle to track the one side. Anytime you have a pulling issue, always cross rotate your front tires and re- drive the vehicle.If the pulling is gone, pulls in opposite direction or changes in any way, you now have your answer.

salimshah

I have gone to Sears for an alignment after suspension work and sure enough they reported the wheel is not centered ..... I knew I will bring it back as the wheel was centered when I took it in.... Next visit was the next day and the readings before 2nd alignment did not match with the readings after the 1st one they did. Long story short, the steering was set right, no pulling but slightly more wear on the inside of the front tire .... typical of Lexus.

On the other car, I went to a tuner shop. Told them that I want longer life and keeping with-in spec he tweaked the setting a bit away from the middle.

So look for tuner shops where the guys know how to bias the settings to your liking. Rest of the places are looking for a green on the computer monitor.

One more thing ,, recheck the torque on suspension components. Dont trust any mechanic.

Salim

hypervish

No such thing as roads in Michigan... I drive there far too often and they are just horrific!

pilot2

My experience has been that alignment techs, even the inexperienced techs, will check the tires first to make sure they are not causing a pulling problem. But once tires are eliminated as the problem, where do you go from that point ?

Information supplied to me by multiple alignment techs is contrary to your camber/caster analysis. It has been made clear to me that you CANNOT adjust caster on a Lexus short of having it pulled on a body-shop frame rack. As an aside, when you look at the caster settings, if they are not even on both sides, the car will tend to pull toward the side with the lesser setting.

Yes, out of spec camber settings can cause tire wear, but it is incorrect to suggest that camber adjustments cannot be a steering pulling problem. My personal experience with numerous cars, including the work just done on my RX, demonstrates how camber adjustments, made within the allowable specification range, can have a significant affect on pulling. In Michigan, with the worse pot-holed roads in the nation, we are forced to learn these things.

Bobster999

While it's true that camber can cause a pull when the difference between the 2 tires is significant, I just rarely saw it when working on Hondas. Actually I dont remember ever seeing one. So yes, what i described was accurate based on what i witnessed as a once certified tech. Unless the camber was way off, i would think it would cause a drift instead of what we called a pull but thats probably semantics. I was putting that out there mostly for the benefit of others that read this and automatically think they need an alignment if they have some pull. Glad you got it fixed, good luck.

thomas1

Sometimes the old time alignment guys are superior. I took my RX300 to a Goodyear, and Yes they messed up my steering wheel. They show the tech sheet, but be cautious as what if everything is in spec, but one side is say off to the left of specs and the right side is off to left of specs, that could still cause drift. I was referred to an old time guy alignment shop (independent) and low and behold he put everything in spec, and yes the steering wheel is straight, and the car drove beautifully. Sometimes I think technology is good, but understanding the basics of alignment to support that technology is a must.